BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki overcame last-minute bickering within his fragile coalition Monday and submitted his new Cabinet, clearing a key hurdle to seating a government more than nine months after national elections.
But nearly one-third of the nominees were only acting ministers, an attempt to buy time to work out disagreements with a key part of al-Maliki’s coalition — the hardline Shi’ite faction loyal to anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
Parliament was expected to vote on the list of 42 ministers and other top government posts as early as Tuesday, according to Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi, a member of the Sunni-backed Iraqiya alliance that won the most seats in the March 7 election and, until this month, bitterly fought Mr. al-Maliki from keeping his job.
Joined by Mr. al-Maliki at a press conference Monday night, Mr. al-Nujaifi said the prime minister had met his constitutional deadline to designate Iraq’s new leadership.
“I am very happy today,” a clearly relieved Mr. al-Maliki told reporters. “What has happened today is new evidence that we, as Iraqis, cannot continue our differences forever.”
Although 13 of the posts were filled with acting ministers until a final agreement could be reached before a Saturday deadline, Mr. al-Nujaifi’s endorsement suggested that Iraqiya was on board.
The Sadrists were another matter. They were promised eight of those jobs but also demanded another — the transportation ministry — and a deputy premiership. Mr. al-Maliki rejected some of the Sadrist candidates because he said they were uneducated or otherwise unqualified.
The Sadrist alliance — which holds 40 of parliament’s 325 seats — said they could replace the objectionable candidates but dug in their heels over the transportation and deputy prime minister posts. A Sadrist lawmaker who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the delicate negotiations said the dispute threatens to derail the entire agreement.
Mr. al-Maliki will serve as the acting minister for the nation’s top three security posts to give lawmakers more time to ensure they are filled with politically independent officials, said government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh.
The prime minister said that discussions were still ongoing about the ministries, and that the short delay would ensure all parties are fairly represented in the government.
“The formation of national unity government in Iraq is a difficult and hard task because we need to find place in the government for all those who participated and won in the elections,” Mr. al-Maliki said.
Mr. al-Maliki has until Saturday to present his Cabinet under a 30-day deadline imposed by the constitution. If he does not, President Jalal Talabani will assign another member of parliament to try to form the government.
The constitution does not specify how Mr. Talabani would select the next lawmaker to create the government. But it could mean that Mr. al-Maliki will lose his shot to remain prime minister after more than nine months of postelection haggling to build enough support from former opponents to remain in power.
Iraqiya only recently dropped its long-standing demand to that is leader, Iyad Allawi, should have the first shot at forming the government.
Mr. Allawi, a secular Shi’ite, said his concession to Mr. al-Maliki came only after he was assured about a power-sharing agreement to fairly divide up the posts among Shi’ites, Sunnis and Kurds.
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